May 30 (UPI) — A recent study published in the open-access journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine suggests that ketamine nasal spray could be a potential treatment for chronic migraines, although caution is advised regarding its overuse. The effectiveness of ketamine in treating chronic migraines is still uncertain.
“This retrospective study suggests that intranasal ketamine may provide pain relief with minimal side effects for refractory chronic migraines in outpatient settings,” concluded the study’s authors. The research was conducted by neurology experts at Thomas Jefferson University, Ohio Health, and Rush University.
Dr. Michael Marmura, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University and co-chief of the Division of Headache, was one of the lead authors of the study.
The study highlighted that the majority of participants were young White women who used the nasal spray alongside other medications, making it difficult to determine the specific benefits of the spray itself.
The primary objective of the study was to investigate the potential use of ketamine for treating treatment-resistant chronic migraines.
The researchers conducted a retrospective review of the outcomes and experiences of individuals who were prescribed nasal ketamine spray for chronic refractory migraines between January and February 2020 at the Jefferson Headache Center. Out of 242 participants, 169 agreed to be interviewed. The majority were women with an average age of 44. Over 67% reported experiencing daily headaches, and almost 85% had tried more than three preventive drugs, typically using an average of two.
The study found that the most common reasons for wanting to use nasal ketamine spray included a partial response to pain relievers and preventive drugs, previous success with intravenous ketamine, and the failure of intravenous lidocaine.
Overall, the participants reported using the nasal spray an average of six times per month for 10 days. Nearly half described the spray as “very effective,” while 39.5% found it “somewhat effective.” Over one-third reported a significant improvement in their quality of life.
Compared to other pain relievers, a significant portion of the participants believed that the nasal spray was superior. Nearly 75 percent reported at least one side effect, with fatigue and blurred vision being the most common. The study highlighted the potential drawbacks of dependency and emphasized that ketamine should only be considered for severely affected migraine patients.
In addition to its potential use for migraines, a recent study also suggested that ketamine could be an alternative treatment for people with treatment-resistant major depression.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
